Contact Information: The most efficient way to reach me is via e-mail at: thiggins@icc.edu. Once we have connected via e-mail we can make arrangements to meet in person, talk by telephone or by other available forms of communication. My assigned office is Room 116 of Poplar Hall, at the North Campus and my assigned telephone is 309-690-7693. If for some reason you have difficult catching up to me via the above e-mail or telephone number please feel free to call 309-690-6863

Summary of my Professional Background: I began my college experience here at Illinois Central College, earning an Associates in Law Enforcement in December of 1985 after a great academic experience and an opportunity to be a member of one of the most successful men's basketball teams in ICC history. I was also fortunate enough to work for what is now Campus Safety and Security as a Student Cadet until graduation and then as an Officer after graduation (as did Professor Graff!). I continued my education at Bradley University, originally transferring there primarily to pursue an opportunity to walk-on the basketball team but staying there because of another excellent education, this time leading to a degree in the Administration of Criminal Justice. A coaching change the first week of the fall semester ended the walk-on opportunity but as that door closed an opportunity to coach high school basketball surfaced along with a great opportunity to continue to work here at ICC as a Public Safety Officer and I was blessed to be able to begin building my work experience in two of my life's passions, Justice and Basketball. Upon graduating from Bradley I continued a career focused in law enforcement and shortly thereafter I began to pursue a law degree with encouragement and guidance of my ICC and Bradley mentors, most notably Roy "Doc" Wright, the founder of our ICC Public Service programs and Dr. Bernie Zant, one of the founders of the Bradley ACJ program as well as current U.S. District Judge Jim Shadid and the late Senator Prescott Bloom and10th Circuit Judge, the Honorable Calvin R. Stone. Another great educational opportunity opened up for me and I would attend and then graduate from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago in the Spring of 1990. John Marshall affords it's students many great experiences and I took full advantage, earning a 711 license to work for Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan and specifically for Division Chief Terry Madsen in the Criminal Appeals, Chicago trial lawyers Kendall Crooks and Dick French and as a Research Assistant for several legal scholars including former John Marshall Dean Gil Johnston.Various opportunities presented themselves after law school both in the law and law enforcement but my then wife and I had agreed to return to Peoria as a good place to begin and raise a family. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to develop a private practice of law under the guidance of current ICC Adjunct Professor Max Prusak, Joe Winne and Bill Wombacher in Peoria, Illinois. I had a great experience working for these lawyers and I would become Max and Joe's law partner a few years later. My areas of private practice centered on litigation and business practices but also included areas of the practice of law related but not limited to the many topics I have been asked to teach at Illinois Central College.

I am licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. Shortly after returning ICC as a faculty member I was asked to serve in a newly created position of Administrative Hearing Officer for the City of Peoria. I currently serve in that role for Peoria and other municipalities locally. Additionally, I serve our local community in various manners, including as a Fire and Police Commissioner for the City of Peoria, volunteering with the Tri-County St. Jude Run, Sophia's Kitchen, efforts of the Red Cross and other needs as presented. I continued to coach basketball at various levels over the years, including here at Illinois Central College. You can read more about my non-teaching activities by going to http://www.tphiggins.com

Office Hours: During “Virtual” office hours I may be in on campus, at another campus location or "virtually" any place I am able to access the web and a phone. If I am not in a classroom or my office, the best way to get in touch with me is via e-mail. Fall/Spring Semester Office Hours: